The New Inn can be traced back to 1780. The pub with the shops adjoining had previously been the home of the Holker family where in April 1734 Dr Holker entertained the Prince and Princess of Orange (daughter of George II) after their marriage when they were weather-bound on their return to Holland.

Like many pubs, it has experienced a couple of name changes over the years but reverted to the New Inn. In January 2016 after repeated reports of after-hours drinking and suspected illegal drug use, investigations by the Police and the local authority, the licensee surrendered their trading licence. After 236 years of trading, the New Inn closed. It’s now a Vape shop.

This is one of many pubs to have recently closed in Gravesend. Since the turn of the century, 25 pubs in the town have ceased trading.

On Thursday last, four well-dressed men arrived at the Globe Tavern, Gravesend, by a London Steam Packet. At their request they were accommodated with a bedroom and a sumptuous dinner, for which they paid and left for London the same afternoon. After they were gone, Mr. Lott, the proprietor, discovered that his bedroom had been broken into, and the bureau plundered of a pocket book containing £160.

The Maidstone Gazette and East Kent Courier, 12 October, 1830.

The Globe was established at the time of the earliest records in 1778 and survived until around 2003, when it became a bathroom equipment showroom. It is now Creams an ice cream and dessert parlour. The second former pub in the town to become one.

This is one of many pubs to have recently closed in Gravesend. Since the turn of the century, 24 pubs in the town have ceased trading.

Just so we are clear we’re not mentioning the van - it doesn’t move, ever. I’ve been back several times, that is more of a tin shed than a van.

The Call Boy was built in 1953, replacing the demolished Assembly Rooms pub that was on this site before it. In 2008 the brewery Shepherd Neame closed The Call Boy along with many other pubs in the area. In 2009 it reopened as a Bar Liquorice which lasted until 2012, it then had a short life as a gay bar called Angels.

All trace of Angels has vanished, the windows are boarded up presumably to keep the vandals out. The rear garden hasn’t been so lucky, it now features its very own car-without-wheels feature along with a couple of old rusting washing machines.

The original pub on this site was called Institute Shades which opened in 1846 and was associated with the Grand Theatre that was on the site. At some point, the name was changed to the Assembly Rooms and then Grand Bars. Records seem to suggest it may also have been called the Theatre Tap and the Theatre Bar somewhere along the way.

The Grand Theatre closed in 1933, but the pub remained open until the roof of the theatre fell in in 1952, when it and the pub were demolished. The Call Boy was built in on the same site in 1953.

This is one of many pubs to have recently closed in Gravesend. Since the turn of the century, 24 pubs in the town have ceased trading.

There have, at some time, been sixteen pubs in Gravesend with the suffix ‘Shades’ to their name. Manor Shades was the last when it closed on 31st December 2012. There were also ‘Shades’ pubs across south-east London and Kent. I can only assume they were tied to a brewery, but I haven’t been able to find any reference to it online.

Manor Shades opened in 1879. In 1904 in an early act of corporate rebranding, the name was changed to Burton Ale Shades, the rebranding lasted until 1925 when it reverted to Manor Shades.

This is one of many pubs to have recently closed in Gravesend. Since the turn of the century, 24 pubs in the town have ceased trading.

The Terrace Tavern and Hotel was present in records from 1837. It was tied to the Russell’s Brewery of Gravesend and the exterior of the still features the beautiful green tiles advertising Russell’s ‘Shrimp Brand’ beers, dating from around 1913. At one time the pub had its own football team, indoor cricket team, darts and pool teams; a real community hub.

The pub closed in 2009 and was empty until 2013 when it was converted to the current food store.

This is just one of many pubs to have recently closed in Gravesend. Since the turn of the century 24 pubs in the town have closed their doors for the final time.

I had a great couple of hour shooting some street portraits in Gravesend last Sunday. I took the opportunity to hand out some of my 'We Are Gravesend' flyers, hopefully I contacted with some interested participants.
If you've landed here after meeting me on Sunday please get in touch, I'd love you to take part in the project.

Adam, Gravesend. 2019
Adam lives in one of the apartments overlooking the Thames in the centre of the town.
He was waiting for a friend in car park at the base of the block.
A project about Gravesend and the river.
#gravesend #gravesham #thames #hasselblad #hasselblad500cm #kodakportra #portra160 #ishootfilm #filmphotography #portraitphotography #streetportrait #hasselbladportrait #portrait